1.1A Senate resolution
1.2honoring Tom Bartl and John Bartl Hardware in Newport.
1.3WHEREAS, the Bartl family's hardware business has been in operation since 1925, when
1.4Tom Bartl's grandfather opened a hardware store in South St. Paul; and
1.5WHEREAS, Tom's father, John, opened the Newport store in 1953 and for 65 years, John
1.6Bartl Hardware in Newport was the go-to place when you needed just one of something; and
1.7WHEREAS, with over 40,000 items in stock, owner Tom Bartl and his staff have always
1.8been on hand to help customers find the needle in the haystack; and
1.9WHEREAS, three of Tom's employees have been with him for 40, 30, and 18 years,
1.10respectively, and the store is truly a community icon; and
1.11WHEREAS, John Bartl Hardware is also one of the few remaining "five-and-dime" stores;
1.12they sell hunting and fishing licenses, garden tools, signage, candy, light bulbs, work boots, and
1.13windsocks; and
1.14WHEREAS, in addition to providing pipe threading and custom glass and screen cutting,
1.15they still make 9,000 to 10,000 keys per year, and everything from nails to grass seed can be bought
1.16by the pound; and
1.17WHEREAS, Tom has decided to close the store in December, and they will reward their
1.18customers with a Quitting Business Sale of 30 percent off; and
1.19NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the State of Minnesota that it
1.20congratulates Tom Bartl and John Bartl Hardware in Newport on their 65 years of outstanding
1.21service to their state and community.
1.22BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is directed to prepare an
1.23enrolled copy of this resolution, to be authenticated by the Secretary's signature and that of the
1.24Chair of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, and transmit it to John Bartl Hardware.

Cal R. LudemanSecretary of the Senate

Paul E. GazelkaChair, Senate Committee onRules and Administration

Karla BighamState Senator, District 54